Photo file: Somalia’s minister for planning met with the leadership of the INGOs operating in Somalia

MOGADISHU (HOL) – Somalia's cabinet has endorsed a bill seeking the relocation of the international agencies operating in Somalia from Nairobi to the country, warning that organizations that refuse to comply it on deadline would have their operation licenses revoked with an immediate effect.

The new proposal pushed by Somalia’s minister for planning, investment and economic development Jamal Mohamed Hassan sets January 1st 2019 as the final deadline for the international organizations and NGOs working on Somalia and based outside Somalia to relocate to the country.

NGOs have also said that high operational costs in the country where Islamist militants continue to carry out attacks against foreigners and international organizations also remained another concern that prevented them from relocating to Somalia.

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According to the government, relocating offices of agencies working in Somalia would improve the coordination it has with the relevant agencies.

It’s unclear if the new measures that tough measures the government vowed would be taken against the Nairobi-based organizations working on Somalia if they fail to abide by the instructions would prompt them to take notes.

Most of the international organizations and NGOs working in Somalia are based in Nairobi. However, Somali officials have long complained that organizations and NGOs in question have used their Nairobi base as pretext to consume superfluous funds taken away from the country’s international aid budget and also to avoid monitoring and accountability by the government.